from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Harpoon \Har*poon"\ (h[aum]r*p[=oo]n"), n. [F. harpon, LL.
harpo, perh. of Ger. origin, fr. the harp; cf. F. harper to
take and grasp strongly, harpe a dog's claw, harpin boathook
(the sense of hook coming from the shape of the harp); but
cf. also Gr. "a`rph the kite, sickle, and E. harpy. Cf.
{Harp}.]
A spear or javelin used to strike and kill large fish, as
whales; a harping iron. It consists of a long shank, with a
broad, flat, triangular head, sharpened at both edges, and is
thrown by hand, or discharged from a gun.
[1913 Webster]
{Harpoon fork}, a kind of hayfork, consisting of a bar with
hinged barbs at one end and a loop for a rope at the other
end, used for lifting hay from the load by horse power.
{Harpoon gun}, a gun used in the whale fishery for shooting
the harpoon into a whale.
[1913 Webster]